{"id":601,"date":"2026-01-18T19:03:24","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T03:03:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brentandersonart.com\/site\/?p=601"},"modified":"2026-01-18T19:03:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T03:03:24","slug":"an-immodest-proposal-defining-wants-and-needs-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brentandersonart.com\/site\/an-immodest-proposal-defining-wants-and-needs-2\/","title":{"rendered":"An Immodest Proposal – Defining Wants and Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Defining Wants and Needs<\/strong> – Common interest versus common necessity<\/p>\n

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\u201cI want that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cI need that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Our current system caters to the privileged few and disadvantages many in providing the needs and wants of everyone.<\/p>\n

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For well over sixty years, the error our consumerist society has collectively made has been to allow Madison Avenue marketers to confused us over the difference between a personal want and a social need. Through the efforts of advertising, companies have convinced us our wants are vital needs, and our needs are mere wants.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Suppliers providing both insist we need to pay the price they say they want, or say they need. The message being, if you can’t pay for it or get someone else to pay it for you, you don’t get it, which implies, if you can’t pay for it, you don’t deserve to have it. This situation sets up the destructive practice of charity, in lieu of what I call \u201csharity.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In a capitalist social democracy, that’s fine for wants like theater tickets and cookies, but it’s not acceptable for vital needs like air, food, water, health care, shelter, transportation and social networking.<\/p>\n

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A clear distinction needs be made defining the difference between a need and a want. Allow me.<\/p>\n

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Needs are very basic; food and education, shelter and clothing, transportation and communication, and healthcare, the costs of which need to be balanced against a minimum income sufficient to pay for all needs.<\/p>\n

Wants are everything else, and are paid for over time with whatever income revenue is earned each day.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Defining Wants and Needs – Common interest versus common necessity   \u201cI want that.\u201d   \u201cI need that.\u201d   Our current system caters to the privileged few and disadvantages many in providing the needs and wants of everyone.   For well over sixty years, the error our consumerist society has collectively made has been to…<\/p>\n

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